Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1887-04-07
THEIR ROMANCE.
The Wedding Journey of Jasper
and Dorothy.

the end of the journey is very near;
and, like the Psalmist of old, l am
ready to cry aloud: O spare me lit
tie, that | may recover my strength.
before / 90 hence and be no more
SEEN So many years we have waited,
day after day, month after month, al
ways hoping, only to have disappoint-
ment greet us at every turn. And now,
now that you are my wife, can but
touch your hand and lie helplessly here
looking at you, knowing how in few
short hours, even, that will 90, and
though your arms hold me close, OF
you kiss me ever so lovingly, l will not
feel it-that am drawing step by step
nearer to the end of all things. Com
fort me, say something--it is the bit
terest thing that has come to us yet.
Oh, love, my wasted, useless life! II
was never much at best, and yet am
10th to give it up"
"Hush, Jasper, hush it was neither
wasted nor useless; it breaks my heart
to have you speak so. So, dear, | am
close beside you-your very own, and
not another mans. The separation will
not be for long; only like one of those
journeys you have been used to take;
then you were bright and hopeful.
Don't you remember how we were al
ways planning, if you met with sue
cess you would send for me to come
out and be your wife, then together we
could go over all the rough, hard
places in lifeP Now it is only the same
old story, with this great difference,
that, finding the life beyond so restful
and full of peace after your struggles
and disappointments here, you will
stay, and l, your wife, your very own
shall not have to wait long for the
summons. 1t will come quickly now
and shall follow fast upon your foot
steps. There is no more waiting, nj
unrest can come to us; that is all gone
with the years that lie behind. Pleas
ant years you have made them for me
Jasper, even though we could not have
our wish. For when you would bt
away, or things grew tangled, and thu
hunger of my heart became hard t.
bear, then there would be letter, OF
some sign or message from your heart
and the whole world grew bright again
and l was young like when we frs
met Do you remember, dear, tina
time so long ago, when you first asked
me to wait for you and be your wifeP
''Do remember, DorothyP Oh, m.
love my love 7! can not leave you
My God, give me back my life onl.
for few short years"
1t is the bitter cry of desperate
yearning, which fills Dorothy's eye
with tears, and chokes her voice so sh
can only softly stroke the worn fac
upon the pillow.
1t had come at last, the ending of tn
poor little romance. After all thes
years of a weary, well-nigh hopeless
waiting, they had been married. Not
as over and over again it had been plan
ned, in church, with the tones of the or
gan ringing in their ears the wedding
march, and familiar faces smiling bacl
at them from the pews; but up here, IL
this quiet sick-room, where only tw'
short hours before the doctor had toll
his patient how nearly his course wa
run, and he, with dying mans rest
lessness, had wished to call Dorothy hi
wife before the feeble breath fluttere'
out and was still.
1t is summertime out of doors, an,
as the solemn words binding then
together are uttered, it is summer i
their hearts, with the warmth and glo'
of its veriest noontide. At most, now
few short hours lie between him an
death; so they have gone away, thos
Others, leaving the husband and wifi
alone, that in those last hours the dy
ing bit of romance may glow an
brighten, blossoming again as in tn
years gone by.
They are not young, not even mid
dle-aged. Time, in their hearts, hs
stood still, as he ever does to thos
who love. To each other they mu:
needs be always young, but to ou
siders-to the children of the friends
their youth-they are quite an elderl
couple. People smiled when the
spoke of the engagement 1t was on
of those things of such long standing
seemed impossible for change
come. Jasper was never over-stront
and although willing enough to wori
somehow had always been unfortuna'
nothing he took hold of seemed
succeed.
So time few by on his noisele'